KNOW IT. LOVE IT. LIVE IT

The Promise

Mr. Aliva was a successful entrepreneur with vast business under his belt. However, his success at home was not one he bragged about. After much abuse and arguments on both sides, Mr. Aliva and his wife Tena, of 15 years, divorced.

It was soon after his divorce that Mr. Aliva left his island of Trinidad and Tobago along with half of his small fortune and 3 children which he loved dearly to seek for new journeys, new life and new ventures. Upon arriving to the US, Mr. Aliva found himself buying a small contractor business. He invested in new equipment, new trucks, uniform and new employees.

Among these employees, there was a new young man by the name of Luis. Luis was an 18 year old High school drop-out full of energy and eager to work. Mr. Aliva was very fond of Luis. He worked hard, fast and he reminded Mr. Aliva of his 18 year son he had in a prior relationship before he married Tena.

Mr. Aliva was starting to see success in the US, growing faster than he ever did in Trinidad and Tobago. With this deal of excitement, He began to push Luis as well to get his High school diplomat so that he can be an educated man and properly learn the trade of business for he wanted him to be CEO of the company one day. However, Luis would shrug and not listen to the idea of going back to school.

One day, Mr. Aliva went to a job convention. There, he met a woman by the name of Carly Staine. She was the CFO of a tech company that connected contractors with people seeking jobs to be done. She would get a small fee from the contractor and from the client seeking workers. This appealed to Mr. Aliva because it would increase his growing business with another 25% margin of growth, so signed a 10 year contract with the company to be one of the contractors.

After Mr. Aliva got back, he told his staff what had happened and they were thrilled! He said that this could bring the company into the millionaire status in just a few short months. It was true. But with this great growth, Mr. Aliva pushed his crew harder and became more vocal to Luis about school.

The weekend came and as he was leaving to a dancing club on Friday night. As he was walking out of his front door, he noticed there was a small card that was slightly coming out of the bag he brought from the convention. He picked it up and it said Carly Staine, Ward Missionary for the Highland Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There was an address with worship times and some number for some one called Elders.

The club was nice on Friday and even better on Saturday. When Sunday morning came, he showered, got dressed and without thinking about it, and went to church. He really enjoyed his time there. He was introduced to Al, the Ward Mission Leader among others. He told them he had a great time and that he would be back, of course, he really did not mean it.

He rested the rest of the Sabbath and went to work early in the morning before the Sun came up. As he was approaching his warehouse, he noticed that Luis was waiting outside. He was unusually early, but Mr. Aliva did not think much of it except that it was Luis’s drive to work hard.

As he said hello to Luis, Mr. Aliva was stunned to see that Luis was holding a gun in his left hand. Luis began to point the gun at Mr. Aliva and began to blame him for making him feel like a failure. He expressed how much he hated being pushed to go back to school. How he was bullied and could not stand another day there. How he would rather work his fingers to the bone if it meant that he would never go back to school.

Mr. Aliva, said nothing. Luis then without hesitation, shot him in the left knee, then shot him towards the heart, stomach, shoulder, stomach again, left side of the chest, leg and the last shot was by the right side of his neck. Luis ran and left him to die.

Mr. Aliva was some how still alive after being shot 8 time. As he laid there, he began to pray for the first time in his life.

“Father.” He said. ” I will go to Church and follow you the rest of my life if you get me out of this alive.”

Days later Mr. Aliva woke up in much paid. A 10 hour operation on his knee, 8 hours taking all the bullets from his body and much stitching work done. A thick dark scar was eminent in his dark skin. Thick round wounds where the other shots blew through. He was in bed rest for a whole month in the hospital. No one came to see him, but one of his supervisor. Some of his jobs where cancelled and others kept going by that one faithful supervisor.

Cameras cough everything Luis had done. During one of the viewing and questionnaires to Mr. Aliva,they asked if he knew why Luis kept leaving the scene? He asked them what they meant by leaving the scene. The detective told him that Luis had arrive at the property 2 hours before he did, but he left premises 6 times, one time for 30 minutes. Mr. Aliva could not respond to the question for he had not answer.

After a long pause, Mr. Aliva yells,

“No charges!”

The Detective was puzzled.

“No charges. I pushed him to hard. He is just a kid with a bright future and all he needs is just to finish his high school. Now go!” The detective could not explain why he would not press any charges, but regardless, Luis was sentence for 10 years in Prison, since he had just turned 18, and was charged as an adult.

Mr. Aliva was back at work months later. He kept his promised to Heavenly Father and went to His Church. A few weeks later he entered the waters of baptism being baptized by proper priesthood authority. He remained faithful the rest of his life, serving and working as a sealer in the Temple. He re-married years after the accident to a beautiful 50 years old and got sealed to her for all time and all Eternity. Mr. Aliva not only kept his promise to Heavenly Father and went to church, but besides going on a mission and serving, he also brought many souls unto Christ.

Among His Children, His Grand Children and Co-Workers, Mr. Aliva had the pleasure to Baptized Luis Roberts, yep, the same Luis that shot him 8 times. After Luis did his ten years in federal prison, Mr. Aliva was outside Prison walls waiting for him. He forgave him and Luis embraced him for they had not seen each other in 10 years.

Luis had changed when he got out. He got his GED and stayed good friends with Mr. Aliva. Mr. Aliva never held any remorse against him. He loved him like a son, nothing more and nothing less. In many ways, both of them had two things in common, they kept their pre- mortal promise, to follow our savior and our Father in heaven.